Pakistan blocks Wikipedia after 48-hour deadline ends: Report

Pakistan has banned Wikipedia over the web site’s refusal to take away what the institution termed as ‘blasphemous content’, Pakistan web site The News reported. The restoration of the companies can be subjected to consideration if the web site removes the content material.

The blacklisting of Wikipedia comes days after the Pakistan Telecom Authority degraded Wikipedia companies for 48 hours, threatening to dam it if the content material deemed ‘blasphemous’ was not deleted.

“Wikipedia was approached for blocking/removal of the said contents by issuing a notice under applicable law & court order(s). An opportunity of hearing was also provided, however, the platform neither complied by removing the blasphemous content nor appeared before the Authority”, the Pakistan Telecom Authority tweeted.

“Given the intentional failure on part of the platform to comply with the directions of PTA, the services of Wikipedia have been degraded for 48 hours with the direction to block/remove the reported contents”, it added.

This isn’t the primary time when the Pakistan authorities has cracked down on social media platforms and web sites, an act slammed by freedom of speech advocates within the nation.

“The ban is disproportionate, unconstitutional, and quite ridiculous,” stated Usama Khilji, a digital rights activist, had informed AFP, including that the transfer will influence college students, academicians, researchers and different sections of the society.

In 2012, the Pakistan authorities had blocked greater than 700 YouTube hyperlinks to an anti-Islam movie which triggered large protests throughout a number of nations. The highest courtroom had directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to dam the hyperlinks to the film, Chinese language media company Xinhua had reported.

The then chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry had directed the telecom regulator to take down all of the ‘sacrilege material’ which disrespected Islam or the Prophet in any means.